Trouble with T5s after installing expansion card

[bdare]

Hello all,

Looking for some troubleshooting help. Yesterday I disconnected all the wires from my controller so I could install an expansion card. When I plugged them back in, everything was working as normal except my T5s. They are dimmable T5s controlled using a EVG-AP-2F-HIC. Obviously none of the programming changed. Could I have shorted something by disconnecting the "control" wire from the controller while the lights were on? I have a multi meter, but not sure what to test.

Thanks in advance.

Ben

 

[bdare]

Well... small update. I just took the EVG-AP-2F-HIC out of the mix by connecting the power cords directly and the lights came on. The lights and ballast still work :)

 

[Lasse]

Did you connect phase, neutral and ground right (L,N,PE) (here you can use multimeter (AC) and measure between phase and neutral. If you have earth fault circuit breaker - do not test between phase and ground :p (red marking) Have you connect the power to the ballast (two ballasts) right. You can test AC here too but only if you have a signal over 1 volt DC out (green for AC and black for outgoing 1-10 V signal. Have you connect the L cable the right way (blue) The outgoing 1-10 V is it connected the right way. If you run your actual ill chanel on 10 % you should be able to measure around 1.9 V DC on actual output (black)

https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/downloads/evg-ap-hic-high-inrush-current/
Sincerely Lasse

 

[bdare]

Did you connect phase, neutral and ground right (L,N,PE) (here you can use multimeter (AC) and measure between phase and neutral. If you have earth fault circuit breaker - do not test between phase and ground :p (red marking) Have you connect the power to the ballast (two ballasts) right. You can test AC here too but only if you have a signal over 1 volt DC out (green for AC and black for outgoing 1-10 V signal. Have you connect the L cable the right way (blue) The outgoing 1-10 V is it connected the right way. If you run your actual ill chanel on 10 % you should be able to measure around 1.9 V DC on actual output (black)

https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/downloads/evg-ap-hic-high-inrush-current/
Sincerely Lasse

Hey Lasse,

To be clear, this has been working for about 2 years. Only yesterday when I unplugged the cable marked by your blue circle that goes to the controller did I start having problems. I disconnected the cord from the controller so I could install an expansion card. I've connected the cords indicated by your red and green circles together and the lights are on.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Lasse]

What card did you install - maybe the L ports have change their orders. Connect the L cable and test with another L port, The fact thats your T5 run for full if you do the red green connection tells that you do not get an 1-10 signal or shout down signal from your computer. These ballast is constructed that way that if they get a signal below 1 or no signal - fully on. But if they get 1 V signal - they still light with around 5 % and therefore need a shout down signal to the relay if signal is below 1 V (ie actual Ill chanel = 0)

Does it give full light with the L port connected and not connected? Which L port was it connected to before and now? I also know that sometimes it is very difficult to get the wires from the L cable to get in good contact with the connection box blue circle

Sincerely Lasse

 

[bdare]

What card did you install - maybe the L ports have change their orders. Connect the L cable and test with another L port, The fact thats your T5 run for full if you do the red green connection tells that you do not get an 1-10 signal or shout down signal from your computer. These ballast is constructed that way that if they get a signal below 1 or no signal - fully on. But if they get 1 V signal - they still light with around 5 % and therefore need a shout down signal to the relay if signal is below 1 V (ie actual Ill chanel = 0)

Does it give full light with the L port connected and not connected? Which L port was it connected to before and now? I also know that sometimes it is very difficult to get the wires from the L cable to get in good contact with the connection box blue circle

Sincerely Lasse

I installed the PLM-CondF-Redox card. The EVG-AP-2F-HIC was connected to the controller using an RJ45 connector to the MiLB port on the controller. I immediately thought that wires must have come loose on the blue circle. I've double and triple checked them. They are tight.

I might just bite the bullet and order another EVG-AP-2F-HIC. I can't see why the dimming control wires being disconnected would cause a short, but I don't know what else it could be. I literally only disconnected that RJ45 from the controller and plugged it back in.

 

[bdare]

Lasse,

You're amazing. You solved it. Of course I had the cable plugged into the wrong port. I just reconnected the electricity to the EVG-AP-2F-HIC and plugged the control cable to L1/L2 and BOOM (no explosion - Just success). Thanks again for helping me troubleshoot and think through this.

 

[Lasse]

Glad that you could solve it and I could help. I had a lot of these cards when I was experimenting with 1-10 V dimmers for LED back in early 2010.

Once I thought that I had an insoluble problem at my work - suddenly I realize that the solution was easy if I just turn around the question a little - it was like - the computer will start if I plug in the power to the outlet. The comment I get from my boss was unforgettable :D

it is better to realize that you are an idiot than to face an insoluble problem

I always carry this statement with me when a problem grow over my head - just test the easiest explanation first:D As it did for me yesterday (that was a really "Bad Hairday") when we lost power in half of our systems. After the first chock - the phrase "it is better....." show up in my head and I got back and turn of the contact i had turn on just 15 seconds before and that's help to restart the system with a lot of easy complications - like two not connected faults (never happens or...) - just another bad hairday. I succeed to I also managed to drown the whole kitchen before the end of the working day.........

Sincerely Lasse